Revel in Teddy Roosevelt's Legacy

The thought of our 26th president calls to mind a few descriptors: rancher, Rough Rider, Bull Moose, and America’s youngest president, to name a few. Perhaps none are as ubiquitous as President Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy as a conservationist. His foresight while in office and decisive actions instilled the notion of resource preservation in our national psyche.

Theodore Roosevelt Center

Though the National Park Service only came into being seven years after the end of Roosevelt’s presidency, many units across the National Park System are linked to him.

"We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune." – Theodore Roosevelt

Between the parks he established in partnership with Congress and his enactment of the Antiquities Act in 1906, Roosevelt designated 23 sites that would become part of the National Park Service’s purview when it was created in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson. Look through these 5 places where you can enjoy the natural, cultural, and historical resources protected now and for future generations, all thanks to President Theodore Roosevelt.

Devils Tower National Monument

Jewel Cave National Park

Margaret River / flickr

The more than 180 miles of passages that have been mapped of Jewel Cave National Monument, making it the third longest in the world. The sparkling calcite crystals that line the cave’s walls earned this South Dakotan site its accolade as a jewel of the National Park System.

Mesa Verde National Park

Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park was the first national park to be designated in honor of “the works of man." The remarkable cliff dwellings of the “green table” were home to the Ancestral Pueblo people for more than 700 years.

Celebrate the second century of our National Park Service by remembering the origins of our national parks. They are lauded as a uniquely American idea; solidified by a preservationist who understood our key role in stewarding the natural and cultural resources entrusted to us in our national inheritance. Revel in President Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy at these national parks, or in any of the over 400 sites of the system where you can #FindYourPark / #EncuentraTuParque.

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